Wireless modems exist that can be inserted, or otherwise interfaced with a computer and that enable data communication over a wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) such as a cellular type network. Early versions of these wireless modems were embodied as cards that had connectors that complied with the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) standard and that were inserted into a slot in the side of the computer. Newer versions have USB connectors, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, or other data interfaces for interfacing with one or more computers or media devices (TV, stereo, iPad®, PDAs, etc.) Such wireless modems allow access to the Internet, or World Wide Web (WWW), even where no wired network connection exists.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional system 100 in which a data connection can be established over a wide area network using a conventional wireless modem 104. In FIG. 1, the conventional wireless modem 104 may be interfaced, e.g., via a PCMCIA slot or Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, with a host computing device 106 via a connection 110. The conventional wireless modem 104 may then establish a data connection between a base station 102, associated with, e.g., a cellular-type network, and the host computing device 160, e.g., a personal computer (PC). The conventional wireless modem 104 and the base station 102 can communicate via wireless signals 108.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a conventional process by which the aforementioned data connection can be established. At 202, a user of the host computing device 106 may insert, or otherwise connect the conventional wireless modem 104 with the host computing device 106. At 204, the conventional wireless modem 104 may then be tethered to the host computing device 106. Once the conventional wireless modem 104 is tethered to the host computing device 106, a connection manager running on the host computing device 106 can be launched at 206. The connection manager will often display whether the network, i.e., the WWAN, is available through a user interface. If it is, at 208, the user can select the network, which will cause a connection to be established between the base station 102 and the host computing device 106 via the conventional wireless modem 104 at 210. The connection can use any standard protocol, including Point to Point Protocol (PPP), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Bluetooth®, or any communication protocol.
For example, PPP can refer to a data link protocol commonly used to establish a direct connection between two networking nodes. It can provide connection authentication, transmission encryption privacy, and compression. PPP can be used over many types of physical networks including serial cable, phone line, trunk line, cellular telephone, specialized radio links, and fiber optic links such as Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET). PPP is designed to work with numerous network layer protocols, including Internet Protocol (IP), Novell's Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX), NBF, and AppleTalk.